Lesson 2 - Red-rumped Parrot and Kangaroo Grass

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Red-rumped Parrot and Kangaroo Grass Lesson

Lesson number Step by step instructions Dropbox video link Teacher resources
Lesson 2a #Learn how to Troubleshoot a Raspberry Pi on Startup Audio recording of classroom lesson MP3
Lesson 2b #Red-rumped Parrots and Kangaroo Grass Red-rumped parrots bathing mp4 video
Lesson 2c #Scratch Dog Game Conclusion Alt text
Lesson 2d #Scratch Parrot Game Alt text

Learn how to Troubleshoot a Raspberry Pi on Startup

  • Mouse doesn't work
    • Unplug existing mouse and try another mouse.
    • Try rebooting the Raspberry Pi computer.
  • Display doesn't work
    • Make sure the display is plugged in and turned on. A green power light should appear on the monitor.
    • Check that the VGA to HDMI adapter is plugged in correctly. Check the orientation of the plug.
  • Raspberry Pi desktop environment looks different
    • This often happens when the monitor is off or not connected during startup.
    • Restart the Raspberry Pi.

Red-rumped Parrots and Kangaroo Grass

  • Red-rumped parrots are small parrots (270mm long) including a 130mm long tail.
  • You will often see them on the ground in grasslands eating grass seeds.
  • The male has a colourful red rump. The female is olive green.
  • Males and females fly together in pairs.

Plants for food and shelter

  • Red-rumped parrots like grasslands with scattered trees.
  • Eucalyptus and Wattle trees make good habitat.
  • Native grasses such as the Kangaroo grass produce seeds that the parrots can eat.

Kangaroo Grass

  • Kangaroo grass grows in a thick clump called a tussock
  • It produces gold-coloured seed heads in summer. These are very easy to identify.
  • You can buy Kangaroo grass tube stock from native nurseries such as La Trobe Native nursery
  • Plant the tube stock in Autumn, Winter and Spring so their roots can develop.
  • You can water in with a little Seasol to stimulate root development.
  • Please don't add any fertiliser.

Scratch Dog Game Conclusion

  • Change the default name of the sprite to dog
  • Ensure all the code for the dog sprite is the same as shown below.
  • There should be two dog sprite costumes.

  • Click on the middle button only face left-right to ensure the dog doesn't turn upside down.
  • Students can experiment with the other two buttons to see the effect on the dog.

Make the Dog Wag it's Tail

  • In this activity we are going to make the dog's tail wag.
  • Notice that the dog's tail is pointing up for both dog costumes.
  • We will edit one dog sprite so that the tail points down.
  • Click on the Costumes Tab.
  • Click on the Edit button for dog2-c

  • Choose the Select Tool which looks like a hashed square.
  • Using the mouse click and drag using the left mouse button to select the tail of the dog as shown.

  • Click on the flip vertically button to make the dog's tail flip

  • Hover over the tail and click the left mouse button to drag the tail down into position.
  • Then click on OK to exit the editing mode.

  • When the Green flag is clicked the dog will now way it's tail.

Scratch Parrot Game

  • Create a flying red-rumped parrot game in Scratch.

Adding a Parrot Sprite

  • Choose new sprite from file.

  • Choose Parrot1-a
  • Click on OK.

  • Change default name of sprite to parrot

  • Import a second parrot costume so that we can do animation.
  • Click on the Costumes Tab.
  • Then click on Import

  • Click on parrot1-b
  • Then click on OK.

  • The parrot is too big.
  • Click on the shrink tool
  • Then click on the parrot in the stage area to shrink the sprite.

Making the parrot Move using the Arrow Keys

  • In this game we will make the parrot move using the arrow keys on the keyboard.
  • Click on the Scripts Tab.
  • From the Control blocks drag the when space key pressed block.
  • Using the drop down arrow select up arrow

  • From the Motion blocks.
  • Drag the point in direction 90 block.
  • Using the drop down arrow change the setting to (0) up.

  • Complete the coding script.
  • Add the move 10 steps block
  • Add the next costume block so that the parrot flaps its wings.
  • Clicking on the up arrow on the keyboard will now make the parrot fly upwards.

  • Select the middle button next to the sprite to make the parrot only face left-right

Make the Parrot Move Down

  • To make the parrot fly downwards we use the same combination of blocks.
  • Change the keyboard response block to when down arrow key pressed
  • Change the point in direction motion block to setting (180) down
  • Test the code by pressing both the up and down arrow keys.

Duplicate Function in Scratch

  • Students don't need to drag individual blocks to the scripting area.
  • To copy existing code right mouse button click and select duplicate
  • Then click where you want to place the duplicated blocks.
  • Make sure the first block in the code is selected when duplicating.

  • When duplicating code the settings for individual blocks don't change.
  • For each code block you need to adjust the settings for the left and right arrow keys.

Making the Parrot Change Colours

  • We can make the parrot more bright and colourful by changing its feather colours.
  • Create the code below and add in the change colour effect by 25
  • When the code is executed the parrot will change colours very quickly.

Adding a Background to the Stage

  • The default stage has no background.
  • Adding a background gives the sprites more context and is more fun.
  • Ensure that the Stage sprite is selected.
  • Click on the Backgrounds Tab
  • Then click on Import

  • Select the Indoors folder.
  • Then select Bedroom
  • Click on OK.

  • Reposition the dog so that it looks like it is walking on the bedroom floor.

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